UNODC-NAUSS’s brief on ‘The Evolution of the Synthetic Drug Market in the Arab Countries’ reveals how crackdowns are disrupting the captagon trade and driving a shift to other new synthetics

The joint UNODC and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) research examines recent changes in synthetic drug markets across Arab countries, noting that intensified interdictions and dismantling of large clandestine production sites have reduced captagon flows and strengthened intelligence cooperation. It highlights initial disruptions in longstanding market patterns and warns of evolving risks—particularly a potential pivot toward methamphetamine and other synthetics—as the landscape adapts to enforcement and supply pressures…